Twice Mortal
by Lyra Lupin
Summary: In ancient times, sailors who met with revenge and murder upon the ocean's waves could call upon the various sea gods and goddess for intervention and justice. Norrington/ Gillette
1. Chapter 1

**Title: Sea Myth**

Author: LyraLupin

Ratings: PG

Pairings: Norrington/ Gillette

Genre: Post AWE

Summary: In Greek myth The Nereides were a band of fifty goddess sea nymphs. Not only did they provide sea bounty to fisherman, but they also were the protectors of sailors. This is one of their stories.

In ancient times, when the corners of the world were as mysterious as starlight, sailors who met with revenge and murder upon the ocean's waves could call upon the various sea gods and goddess for intervention and justice. Sometimes the gods answered their prayers, even if they were only whispered by the sailor's heart...

#

He did not want to die, but there was really no other choice and then, he was gone.

Consciousness floating in tranquil oblivion, spirit lifting to meld into the _anima mundi_- the world soul and somewhere beneath the waves, his corporal body covered in blue wool and naval lace sank to the ocean floor. As his flesh rotted somewhere far away from where his spirit hovered, he couldn't remember why golden epaulets had been so important to him once.

And then, in the distance, James Norrington heard a woman's voice.

"But my lord, he was true to you. He has a heart that loves the sea!"

"He is a mortal." A kingly voice boomed.

"A fine sailor whose thread was cut too soon, Lord Poseidon." A new female pleaded.

"A man that loved good and true and yet, his was never returned. Please Amphitrite, beg upon your husband to spare him!" Cried yet another melodic female voice.

In his mind, James remember the sword being trust into his heart, the physical pain of death, the words of Davy Jones and then darkness...

'Am I dead?' His consciousness wondered.

Assessing himself, he felt remarkably good. It were as if he were gently rocking in a warm, silken cocoon as soft hands stroked his face and arms with tender and loving caress. He no longer felt the burden of the physical world; only his spirit resided in his consciousness and light composed his form.

Lifting himself from his cozy, pacific slumber, he forced open his vision.

"He's awake!" Giggle a young woman with swirling ginger hair.

Around him whirled and spun beautiful young women of all shapes and coloring. Their eyes deep blues, greens and turquoises, their breasts as pale as polished marble and their legs...

Ahh!! No legs! They had tails, slippery eel-like tales! Dear god, he had to be hallucinating because he was being molested by mermaids and he was ireally/i enjoying it.

At this thought, there was a myriad of musical laughter which was all quite clear and quite alarming as he now realized he must be deep beneath the ocean's waves. Surrounded by mythical sea people and strange sea beasts; this bizarre oceanic setting appeared to be a courtroom of coral columns and sea- shelled thrones.

'Am I on trial?' He asked, without words to no reply.

James wanted to struggle, to free himself, but as soon he even thought about movement, tentacles of pretty, soft, feminine hands alighted on his chest, his hips and his head pushing him down into the soft, grainy ocean floor. At their tender touch, he forgot about fighting and gave into their pleasant command.

"This is what you want to save?" Asked the deep male voice with contempt.

"Yes," the sea-nymphs sang in unison. "We want him to live!"

The elder merman shook his white-bearded head and then pointing his triton towards James, he commanded. "So be it!"

Suddenly, James' corporal form regained painful consciousness. His head pounded, his chest ripped, his lungs burned with salty sea water. In that instant, he was alive; painfully alive. The gentle hands of the sea-nymphs now raised him from the ocean floor and pushed him away from their comforts and towards the glaring white light of day.

He tried to call out, "No!" He struggled to grasp their hands, but their silken fingers slid through his mortal ones.

He meet his emergence into daylight as a child leaving his mother's warm womb with a terrible cry of sadness and anguish. Gangly legs floundering in the water and infant lungs sputtering for breath, he felt his leadened body being pulled by sea foam towards land.

As his naked feet touched the sandy bottom, he decided there was no use fighting his fate. Prodded by the waves, James Norrington drug himself by his hands and knees onto the shore. His head finally collapsing on the hot, barren sand of land.

For better or for worse; he was alive.

lj-cut


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: Sea Myth: Part II Twice Mortal**

Author: LyraLupin

Ratings: PG

Pairings: Norrington centric/ Gillette

Genre: Post AWE

Notes: Italic quotes are from The Odyssey by Homer

Summary: In Greek myth The Nereides were a band of fifty goddess sea nymphs. Not only did they provide sea bounty to fisherman, but they also were the protectors of sailors. This is one of their stories.

_"I long for home, long for the sight of home._

_If any god has marked me out again_

_for shipwreck, my tough heart can undergo it..." The Odyssey _

#

Searching deep within in his consciousness, he remembered words. His thin lips twitched and pulled forth from his chest a single word. "Home."

Blackness again embraced his mind...

"Here, Bonden," commanded the tenor voice. "Help me lift him."

Norrington's eyelids fluttered, it was the first sign that either man saw of movement from the limp body of their former commander.

"Did you see that, sir?" Bonden asked.

Andrew Gillette did not respond to his coxswain, but instead to his captain.

"James! James, can you hear me?"

His knees fell deep into the sand as he grasped Norrington's shoulders. "Open your eyes. James Norrington, open your eyes!" He said more harshly.

In the darkness, James heard his faithful lieutenant's call.

"Andrew..." He croaked through cracked lips.

A radiant smile broke forth on his friend's face, "Damn it James, you're a hard one to kill!"

James smiled slightly.

"Come on Bonden," Andrew called to his man. "Let's get him into the carriage."

"Gillette!" Norrington grabbed the younger man's arm, in one last will of frantic strength; his green eyes turbulent and searching. "Where am I?"

Andrews taunt face relaxed. "You're home, sir. You're in England."

Tears welled in his eyes as he realized he was in the one place that he never thought he would return. To weak to stand, he allowed the sailors to secure him into the carriage and it was only then, when he and Gillette were alone, did he break into a quiet sob.

"I'm home." He muttered again and again.

Andrew's eyes searched the rolling horizon of the eastern seaboard, giving his captain privacy. As the sun was beginning to set and Norrington seemed more quiet, Gillette broke the stillness.

"James," he finally said. "The Gazette reported you dead over three months ago."

Norrington gulped.

"Along with Governor Swann and Lord Beckett." Andrew eyes turned to look on him. "Where have you been?"

His eyes, looked out to the white cliffs as he released a sardonic chuckle. "I think I were dead, Andrew."

The more confusing question was how did Gillette and Bonden find him, James thought. It was a question he was too tired to ask at the moment.

The carriage bumped along in silence when Andrew finally confessed. "I had a dream last night that you were washed up on the shore."

Norrington nodded, eyes still remote. Nothing seemed strange or fanciful to him anymore.

Then Andrew laughed to himself. "And in it, a mermaid told me that I was to fetch you and bring you home."

James now turned and looked upon his friend, smiling. "Did she have ginger hair?"

"Aye." Andrew returned his smile. "And you don't seemed surprised by this?" The lieutenant asked, puzzled.

"Andrew, there's more truth in dreams and myth than I ever would have thought possible. But now, I need to rest."

He suddenly, felt exhausted from their conversation. Being alive was very hard work. Tugging up his coat around his shoulders and allowing his head to lull back against the seat of the coach, he fell, for the first time in a long time, into a contented sleep.

As the carriage bumped on, his body slumped against Andrew's, his head resting on his friend's shoulder in deep slumber.

Stroking his captain's sun-burnt cheek, he was reminded of a poem about another lucky sailor. _ "Hearts of oak, did you go down alive into the homes of death? One visit finishes all men but yourselves, twice mortal!" _

James snored and Gillette snickered. "Twice mortal you are, James Norrington... By God, welcome home!"

**Reviews appreciated!!**


End file.
